Process of fireproofing wood.



UNITED STATES Patented January 10, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

PROCESS OF FIREPROOFING WOOD- SPECIFIGATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 779,761, dated January 10, 1905.

Application filed April 22, 1903. Serial No. 153,787.

To all wlwm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUIDo BLENIo, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Improved Process of FireproofingWood, of which the following is aspecification, such as will enablethose skilled .in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved process fortreating wood or lumber of any size, shape, or class so as to render thesame fireproof; and with this and other objects in view the inventionconsists in the process for the purpose specified hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the practice of my invention Iprovide a tank or casing, preferablyair-tight, 01' approximately so, and with which is connected asteam-supply pipe by means of which the said tank may be heated, or thesaid tank may be heated in any desired manner, the object of heating thetank being to raise and maintain the temperature of the solutionhereinafter described to about the boiling-point.

I first place a predetermined quantity of water in the tank and addthereto phosphate of ammonia in the proportion of one pound to eachgallon of water contained in the tank, and this solution or mixture israised to the boiling-point by steam, direct heat, or in any suitableway. I then take a quantity of starch in the proportion of two ounces ofstarch to each gallon of water contained in the tank and dissolve thesame in as small a quantity of water as possible. 1 then put thissolution in boiling water, and when the starch is thoroughly cooked Iplace the same in the solution of phosphate of ammonia and thoroughlyagitate the whole,so as to keep the starch from forming a lump and atthe same time keeping the combined solution at, or about at, theboiling-point. When the starch has had sufiicient time to becomethoroughly cooked and the solution is thoroughly mixed, 1 place thelumber to be rendered fireproof in the said tank and solution and closethe tank and make it substantially air-tight, at the same time keepingthe temperature of the solution at, or about at, the boiling-point, thiscondition being continued as long as the lumber is allowed to remain inthe tank, which depends upon the hardness or quality of the wood.

As will be readily understood, the process of impregnating woods ofdifferent kinds and classes so as to render them fireproof takes greateror less time,according as the wood is of close or open grain, and whenwood of loose grain or soft woodsuch as pine, hemlock, or other woods ofthis classare to be rendered fireproof by means of my process I allowthe same to remain in the boiling solution for from twelve totwenty-four hours, the period of time depending on the grain of the woodand the texture there. After thelumber contained in the tank has beenthoroughly impregnated or soaked with the solution it is withdrawn andpermitted to dry, and the object of using starch in the solution is toprovide a medium for retaining the phosphate of ammoniain the grain ofthe wood, and changes in climate or weather will have, no effect uponlumber treated in this manner, and such lumber will be fireproof underall conditions and will only char when subjected to a high degree ofheat.

When pine or similar woods, which usually contain a large amount of fator resinous matter, are to be rendered fireproof, I first steam the woodbefore placingthe same in the tank, the object being to remove the fator resinous substances, at least to an extent, in order that thesolution may operate more readily on the wood, and after this the woodis dried and then placed in the tank.

It will of course be understood that boards, moldings, carvings,or othershapes and forms of wood may be treated in this manner after havingbeenfitted for use in buildings, and by treating at this time thepossibility of any portion of the wood not having been impregnated -orsoaked in the solution, and thus made fireproof, is obviated, and itwill also be understood that after the wood has been steamed in themanner described it is dried and subjected to the process hereinbeforeset out.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The herein-described process of treating I 1 my invention I have signedmy name, in presence of the subscribing Witnesses,this 17th day ofApril, 1903.

Wood and rendering the same fireproof, said process consisting in firststeaming the Wood, then drying the same, then soaking the wood in a hotsolution of phosphate of ammonia,

GUIDO BLENIO.

5 starch and Water, substantially as shown and WVitnesses:

described. F. A. STEWART,

J. (J. LARsEN.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as I

